My Microwave Oven #3 Gets the Job Done: It's a Keeper!

We used to own two microwaves, for reasons we long ago forgot. So you'd think that when I moved into temporary quarters while waiting for the great formerly white elephant on the edge of the prairie to sell that I'd take one of 'em with me. You'd think so, wouldn't you - but I didn't. Consequently, after a few days in Houston I found myself scouring the newspaper ads looking for an inexpensive horno de microondas (need to practice that Español) to tide me over. I found a good price on a familiar brand, and took home a General Electric JES735WJ, a compact 700-watt model. Now, instead of two, we own three: so much for living "small"...


Speaking of small, though, the JES735WJ is a countertop model, available in either white or black (model number JES735BJ, though you may have to scope out BestBuy to find black ones). At 13" deep by 18" long, the little guy doesn't take up much counter space, yet has a capacity of 0.7 ft³, a volume that's just large enough to fit in a standard dinner plate with some eight inches of headroom. Inside there's a light and a tempered-glass turntable, outside there's a touchpad-style control panel. Unlike microwaves of yore, there's no door release - you just pull on the door handle which releases a spring-loaded catch.

Like bigger microwaves (for instance, GE's 1.1 ft³ countertops and their larger over-the-range models), this one has an LED display and digital controls - there's no clunky, inaccurate dial to spin like you find on the forty-dollar models at Sam's. Instead, the electronic controls allow two- and three-stage cooking, with different durations and power levels for each stage. The digital timer can be set for up to 99:99, and there are ten power levels. Besides time cooking, there are several "convenience buttons" preset for common microwave tasks - cooking popcorn, pizza, and potatoes; heating water; reheating or defrosting foods - with the press of a button. Those convenience buttons are all instant-on, by the way. Don't think whatever's in there is done cooking yet? Another one-button press will bump the timer by 30 seconds, or just start the oven running for 30 seconds. All of the buttons are preset for "average" sizes, pressing a second time resets the timer for larger sizes (except for popcorn, which works the opposite way).

The LED face has a clock and a timer that can be set for up to 99:99 (why anyone wants to set a timer for four-plus days is beyond me) - but, unlike some other ovens I've used, this timer can also be used while the oven is cooking merrily away. And finally, if you have curious little fingers around, there's an easy-to-use child lock (kitty hasn't figured out how to defeat it for heating tuna yet).


It's an easy-to-use device that does just what small microwaves are called on to do every day: nuke small batches of leftovers, defrost small volumes, and turn out microwave popcorn and frozen meals. It does those tasks well, in my experience. It does them fairly slowly compared to larger, 1000-watt ovens, but it also does them fairly quietly for ovens its size: it doesn't drown out the radio and it doesn't scare the cat. Sure, it'll never work for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, but it should prove just fine for reheating leftovers. It doesn't take up boatloads of space on the countertop; and the white-on-white design motif may not be the ultimate fashion statement, but it's no uglier than any other modern microwave. And speaking of fashion statements, GE does make a similar-sized model in stainless steel...

People who are interested in such things will want to know that it's warranted for a year (parts and labor) and is made in China. It is not Energy-Star compliant (a shortcoming, in my opinion) and there's no turntable on/off switch (though the turntable does automatically reverse rotation direction each time the oven starts).


Overall a perfectly acceptable little microwave for home use, especially in small homes or kitchens with limited counter space. It performs admirably, and is an improvement over the super-cheap models with a single mechanical control I've used in offices. Recommended, though not for microwave cooking "artistes" - is there a Rachael MicroRay?